


An (A)typical Office Romance

by paradoxicallysimplistic



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Awkward Sexual Situations, Boss!Viktor, Boss/Employee Relationship, Character's Name Spelled as Viktor, Developing Relationship, Drunkenness, Dubious Consent (Alcohol), Employee!Yuuri, Flirting, Hangover, M/M, Mild Smut, Romance, Teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-18
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-03-20 15:42:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13720812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paradoxicallysimplistic/pseuds/paradoxicallysimplistic
Summary: Any bystander would consider Yuuri fortunate for landing a spot in a Fortune 500 company right out of university. He thought so too when he was accepted by the advertising firm.Unfortunately, after finding himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, Yuuri is forced to accompany his boss, Viktor Nikiforov, everywhere. Even during some moreprivatepursuits of his time.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, some of you might have noticed I've changed my AO3 account. This was to consolidate my identities across here, Wattpad, tumblr, and so on. Sorry for the confusion.
> 
> And hope you enjoy~

“Ahhnnn, ah! Yes! Fuck yes!” The cries echoed loudly in the brightly lit hotel room.

Yuuri groaned, rubbing his temples as he tried to block the noises coming from the door next to him and get some work done. They had met with a client earlier this evening and after discussing the particulars, his boss and the client had absconded into the bedroom of the hotel suite and left him with the actual work. It wasn’t his first rodeo, but Yuuri still found it difficult to concentrate with the obscene noises and rhythmic pounding of the headboard. He did not need to or want to know how either of the room’s occupants liked their sex, but he was stuck until the proposal was signed and sealed.

The whole situation would have struck another person as highly unusual, but Yuuri was used to it. Rather, he had been forced to grow accustomed to the peculiarities of it. This wasn’t the Japanese man’s first time in such a situation, nor would it be his last. Ever since he had accidentally walked in on his boss, his fate was a done deal. The work itself was a great learning opportunity, but it was all the _other_ strings that came with it, which gave Yuuri a headache.

A couple of minutes later the telltale creak of a door opening sounded and his boss strolled out. Fixing his eyes on the bright screen covered in black and white, he ignored the Russian man who headed straight for the mini-bar and grabbed out a bottle of liquor. From the corner of his eyes, Yuuri could make out the noticeable red marks over the older male’s body.

When he first started his current job, the recent college grad had been thrilled at the prospect of working for one of the top advertising firms. And under the famous Viktor Nikiforov no less.

Mr. Nikiforov, or Viktor as he wanted everyone to call him, was a key figure in the advertising world. Amazing was only one word to describe the ad campaigns and success Yuuri’s boss enjoyed. The rumor was that any project the Russian’s hands touched would become a big hit. Almost like Midas’ touch, except for advertising. And there was definitely evidence to support the claim.

Yuuri only knew from second- and third-hand accounts, but the story was that when Viktor had stumbled upon the advertising world nearly a decade ago, the silver-blond had somehow managed to singlehandedly turn one of the company’s worst flops into a big hit. The ad, which had featured elements of snow and ice skating to reflect diamonds and how pure and crystalline they were, had been a massive disaster within the company until Viktor had suggested they apply a figure skating theme to it. The results were instantaneous, and the project had become a million-dollar success with the public. Posters of the campaign decorated company halls as a testament to how successful it had been. The Russian’s prestige had only grown from there.

But another part of his boss’s success most certainly came from his appearance. Viktor’s slim figure, silky, silver blond hair, dazzling blue eyes, and Russian heritage was the talk of many. Females swooned over the handsome man, and even men were captivated by Viktor’s charm.  Yuuri recalled going for a company dinner with the man and having the entire restaurant, or nearly everyone, mesmerized by Viktor Nikiforov. A few openly gawked when they had walked in, but most were silently staring throughout the meal. Yuuri didn’t blame them; Viktor had a way of attracting even the most hardened of souls. His charm and charisma were so much that it was difficult to be envious or jealous of his success.

At least that was the opinion Yuuri held when he first started at his job.

The first couple of months had been nothing out of the ordinary. It was tough working at one of the largest advertising companies in the country, but it was worthwhile. Getting used to a new work environment, learning the ropes, dealing with clients, and working on existing projects kept him on his feet and impossibly busy. It was all well and good until _that_ day happened.

It hadn’t been intentional, but Yuuri had accidentally fallen asleep at the desk one Friday after pulling an all-nighter to get some files to the printer, and the next thing he heard was moaning.

 _Really_ loud moaning.

And coming from one of the conference rooms to boot.

At first he thought it was someone playing a prank or perhaps an ad being shown, but when he went to look, he found his Viktor Nikiforov, his _boss,_ and another man locked in a passionate sexual embrace. A few garments of clothing were strewn messily across the table and on the floor – something he had never associated with his Russian boss. While Viktor wasn’t a clean freak, Yuuri had always known his boss as a well-dressed and well-groomed individual. He had never associated the older man with sex or anything of the sort until the moment. Mesmerized, Yuuri found it impossible to shift his eyes away from the two moving bodies on the table. There wasn’t any fucking going on… yet, but there was one exposed penis and a _lot_ of heavy _petting_ going on. The stranger looked vaguely like the manager for one of their clients, but Yuuri was too distracted to really pay much attention. As luck would have it, of course, his accidental stumbling upon the scene was noticed.

Since that day, Yuuri had become Viktor’s Nikiforov’s lackey for better or worse. Mostly worse.

They had worked together on some projects, or rather he had assisted in a very minor capacity on some of Viktor’s projects before, but direct interactions with the man were sparse. When Yuuri came in that Monday, however, it was clear that things had changed – the Russian had taken him under his wing and everyone knew it.

The first thing Viktor had done was call Yuuri to his office and while no direct threat was issued, Yuuri could tell from the no-nonsense statement in those eyes that there would be dire consequences if he stepped out of line. The sudden increase in Viktor’s so-called concern for him garnered the attention of quite a few people at work. Some were openly hostile, but a few had cast him glances of sympathy. It was great learning from the best, and Yuuri certainly found himself on projects in which he had more say, but that wasn’t all. Behind the scenes, he was a gofer and lookout for Viktor and his affairs.

The first time it had happened, he had been a little surprised, not as shocked as waking up to see it happen, but it soon became a regular thing. He was often asked to join Viktor with meeting with clients, only to have his boss disappear and reappear, sometimes disheveled and mostly exuding an aura of being recently fucked. Sometimes, such as this time, Yuuri also accompanied his boss to a hotel with a client, only to be exposed to his boss’s sexual escapades.

He certainly did not want to be there longer than necessary, but work _was_ work, and the work to be done was always work that didn’t require Viktor’s attention. Sometimes it was drafting a proposal after coming up with the idea and Viktor’s role was really making sure the proposal was solid, and other times they were simpler changes. Either way, Yuuri hated being stuck in the situation, but there wasn’t much he could do about it either.

As far as Yuuri knew, his boss wasn’t in any long-term relationship. And sleeping with men or women wasn’t surprising. But he had never expected Viktor to sleep with clients and even management in the company. Perhaps that was how he started out, but the man certainly did not need to use such underhanded methods to get projects or become successful. And the thought of it sickened him. He would happily trade places with anyone else, but short of quitting (and perhaps a bad reference if he was to apply for a new position), there didn’t seem to be any end in sight.

What was more disturbing, however, was how his attraction for his boss hadn’t died even after being exposed to the things Viktor did. The glitz and glamour and pedestal he had placed the man had been erased. His respect and liking of the man’s character had also taken a nosedive, and he was severely put-off by Viktor’s actions. But in spite of everything, the silvery blond Russian had a way of luring people into his circle. And Yuuri was one of those unfortunate individuals who got sucked in a little _too_ deep.

“How is it coming along?” Viktor asked as though he hadn’t suddenly come from a room reeking of sex.

 _It would be faster if you stopped sleeping around and actually helped…_ Yuuri wanted to reply, but instead he shrugged and continued scrolling through the changes they had discussed. “It’s coming along.”

“Well, do you want to order room service while we work, kobuta-chan?”

“No.” He gritted his teeth. The nickname was another of the downsides to being sucked into Viktor’s inner circle. It had come about as a surprise the first time Viktor had used the nickname – Yuuri wasn’t even aware that his boss knew Japanese. Only a couple of people inside the company spoke Japanese and knew that kobuta-chan was the word for piglet, but most people thought it was cute. Yuuri was certainly in the former camp and when he had tried asking his boss to stop, the suggestion had been immediately put down.

Most of his work was complete, but the Japanese man wanted to ensure it was absolutely perfect before passing it on. He considered himself rather average, but had been lucky enough to land an opportunity with one of the best. Most days Yuuri didn’t feel like he deserved amongst the group of talented people on the floor, which only made him twice as eager to learn from them and thrice as driven.

“Suit yourself then.”

Yuuri’s eyes couldn’t help but track his boss’s movements across the room, as Viktor glided from the bar with a drink in hand to the phone. A stray lock of hair fell into the man’s eyes, and he quickly scooped it back, moving it behind his ears. The movement was as benign as actions went, but the way Viktor did it was anything but. The man was a walking sex machine and impossible to ignore. It was a pity that the man he looked up to as a role model was secretly a promiscuous sex fiend. If Yuuri could, he would walk out of the room and never look back.

But unfortunately, he couldn’t always do what he wanted.

Forcing his attention back to the work at hand, Yuuri half-listened as Viktor ordered some food over the phone. As much as he abhorred his boss for sleeping around indiscriminately, the man _was_ truly skilled at his job. All the edits Viktor suggested were always spot on, and the man’s insights were always clear and understandable. So as much as he despised the position he was in, he could suck it up for now.


	2. Chapter 2

“Tch, you just wait…”

Yuuri frowned at the dirty look Yuri Plisetsky, his longtime rival in the company, shot him. The blond Russian was also a fan of Viktor’s and had started in the company around the same time as he did. They hadn’t really interacted much, working on different projects, but the similarities in their names inadvertently led to their less than cordial meeting.

It had come about when a client had asked to see ‘Yuri’ and instead of being brought to the Russian, they had been brought to him instead. It had taken thirty minutes before someone realized what was going on and to call in the correct ‘Yuri.’ Yuuri had been a little confused at first and happy when it was resolved, but the other man had not been pleased. While there was no permanent damage done, they still got the contract and it had done well, but the mix-up had left a lasting black mark between them. The Asian man didn’t have anything against his Russian counterpart, but the latter never forgave him after that.

Yuuri’s opportunity to work so closely with and under Viktor had only widened that divide.

Yuri Plisetsky’s team focused on consumables whereas Yuuri’s team worked on high-end fashion. There was definite crossover between the two, but the Japanese man tried to avoid the other man as much as possible. He didn’t much of a problem with Yuri, or anything about the Russian, but the blond was dead-set on labeling him a rival.

As though, having to deal with his promiscuous boss wasn’t stressful enough.

“Kobuta-chan, are you coming?”

“Just a minute!” Picking up his pace, he made a bee-line towards Viktor’s office, dreading the next couple of hours at work.

The day passed by in a blur and by the time Yuuri got back home it was close to nine p.m. He had gotten off at a decent time today – sometimes it required him to stay in the office till nine – and thankfully, he was actually working in the office instead of following his boss around. Nonetheless, it was still tiring. Shucking off his shoes, he threw the prepared dinner into the microwave, changing into a comfortable t-shirt and shorts as he waited for his curry rice to heat up.

The curry was nowhere as comforting as the katsudon his mom made back at home, but it got the job done. It filled his empty stomach up with something hot and satisfying.

“Hey Yuuri,” his roommate, Phichit, an engineering intern, waved as he came out of his room. “Long day?”

“You have no idea.” He groaned, putting down his spoon and chewing thoughtfully. “How was your day?”

“Same old. Running around and helping others at work. I got to tinker with the prototype today.”

“That’s cool.”

Yuuri had met Phichit three years ago when the latter had transferred to his school from Thailand. They had both been living at dorms at the time, but after realizing that it was cheaper and nearly as convenient to rent off-campus, they had moved to their current place. It was a little far from downtown, but the forty-minute subway ride wasn’t that bad compared to the daily hassle of trying to find parking. Plus, Yuuri didn’t have a car at the moment.

“So what’s up with you?” Phichit headed to the fridge and grabbed a yogurt, plopping down on the sofa after he did. “Was it your boss again?”

“Nope, just work.” Yuuri had mentioned having some troubles with Viktor, but not the extent to which he was privy to the man’s activities. While there was a near-zero chance of Phichit and Viktor ever meeting, he didn’t want to find himself jobless for speaking out of turn.

A buzzing from his phone caught his attention and he picked it up to see it coming from home. “Sorry, I gotta take this.”

“No problem.”

“Moshi moshi.” Yuuri answered the device, switching to his native tongue as he strode to his room, leaving the bowl of curry half finished.

“Yuuri!”

“Nee-san.”

“Everything okay? You sound tired.” The concerned voice of his older sister, Mari, came from the other end.

“Yes, nee-san.”

“Is it Yurio?”

“No.” He snorted lightly at his sister’s nickname for the other man. When she had first learned that there was someone with the same name as him, albeit spelled differently, she had been surprised and asked Yuuri to describe the other man. He was midway through doing so when she had suddenly shouted ‘Yurio!’ and then proceeded to tell him all about her favorite boy band. Yuuri didn’t follow the music scene at all, but it was amusing thinking of his coworker as part of something so different. Mari had sent him a photo of the band member and while there were definite differences, the similarities were striking. Since then, Yuri Plisetsky had turned into ‘Yurio’ in his mind. Of course, Yuuri would never call him that to his face, but it was amusing nonetheless.

“Then your boss?” His sister was the only one he had confided to about the problems he had been having at work with his boss. Mari had advised him to step up to the plate and request to be transferred, but Viktor _was_ the best in the advertising world, and Yuuri was too junior to have much input anywhere.

“Not really.”

“Yuuri, you know, I’ve never asked you this, but do you know why he does it?”

“Huh, does what?”

“Sleep around. Is it possible he’s being blackmailed or something?”

“Hmm… I don’t think so?” He hedged. Yuuri had never put much thought why Viktor slept around. All he knew was that the Russian man did. From an outsider’s perspective, Viktor certainly seemed to enjoy it. For all he knew, Victor might simply have a proclivity for it.

“Are you sure?”

“Well… it’s not like I’m going to ask him that, nee-san!” Yuuri blushed at the idea of going up to his boss and asking Viktor why. After coming to America, he had learned that westerners were considerably more open and frank about private affairs than anyone back at home. Just listening to his roommates talk about their experiences had been an eye-opener. And now that he had front row seat to Victor’s escapades… there was no way he was going to open his mouth and talk about it. He didn’t need more trouble on his plate; Yuuri already had enough trouble dealing with the Russian.

Objectively, he understood why people would want to have Viktor as their partner. He was charming, witty, and sexy. It was difficult to not stare when the silver-blond Russian walked passed with an aura of confidence, always dressed in the latest fashion.

In contrast, Yuuri felt out of place with his large rimmed glasses, messy hair, and thick comfy sweaters. His English was accented and he couldn’t hold a conversation without looking away or stuttering. Of course, being new to the job and often requiring the guidance of others didn’t help. Nor did the fact he suddenly had become Viktor’s favorite subordinate, though that was due to a rather nasty stroke of luck and had nothing to do with his ability in the workplace.

“But if it’s bothering you…”

“Nee-san!” Viktor was his boss! The man was in control of his fate. Well… it wasn’t that severe, but Viktor could certainly ruin Yuuri’s career if he saw fit.

“Yuuri, I can’t believe you’re not curious!” Yuuri sighed at his sister’s enthusiasm, glad she wasn’t physically present. Most days he missed his family. They were on the other side of the world, across the Pacific Ocean, and he saw them once, maybe twice a year. There were, however, other times he was relieved they, particularly his mother and sister, were several hours away and unable to force him into anything. They were definitely supportive, almost too much so, that their energy sometimes made Yuuri feel worn out. Plus, this way they couldn’t forcefully interrogate him about the situation he had gotten himself stuck in with his boss. “Have you told anyone else or heard anything else?”

“Not really.” It wasn’t something he could just go out and ask his colleagues. He wasn’t close with most of his coworkers – tailing Viktor around and running errands for his boss made that difficult – nor was Yuuri much of a social butterfly. And if Viktor caught wind of him asking around… Yuuri didn’t finish the thought. No, he would keep his reservations to himself.

“How is everything back at home?” He asked, changing topics before his sister could question his relationship with his boss once more.

By the time Yuuri had gotten off the phone with his sister, his dinner had long since cooled and his appetite was forgotten. Tossing away the remnants of his meal, he trudged to the bathroom, to prepare for bed. As exciting as it was working in the fast-paced environment, it was extremely draining. It didn’t take long for him to finish his ablutions and he quickly stripped and crawled into bed. The lull of sleep quickly took over luring him into a dreamless space where he did not have to think about the challenges he faced dealing with one silvery-blond Russian.

 

“What are we doing here?” Yuuri inquired, politely accepting the glass of seltzer water.

They were currently sitting in a lounge Viktor had picked out. Yuuri wasn’t even sure what he was doing there. Their final meeting with a client had ended earlier that afternoon and after some perfunctory small talk and a round of thanks, they had left. In the past they had always gone straight back to the office during work hours, unless there was a meeting scheduled afterwards, but instead, Viktor had driven to an upscale lounge on the opposite side of downtown from where their office was.

“Why not? Let’s celebrate.” His eyes narrowed as Viktor waved down a waiter and asked for two glasses of scotch. “We just finished a large project.”

“We’re still on the clock, _Viktor_.” He hissed, shocked that his boss would order alcohol in the middle of the day. Wisps of slow jazzy piano floated through the air. The sounds, which would normally have soothed him, only riled Yuuri up further.

“It’ll be fine. Relax. Learn to unwind a little, kobuta-chan.”

Before he could protest, the waiter came back with two circular glasses filled with half-an-inch of amber liquid. One was place in front of him and Yuuri immediately pushed it away from him. Low alcohol tolerance was something that ran in the family unfortunately. He could drink a small ochoko or small sake glass full of sake, but that was about it. Even that would make his head a little dizzy. Anymore and he would be flat-out drunk. Yuuri had long since adapted to drinking seltzer with a lemon during gatherings in place of alcohol. There were still times when it became necessary or was polite to do so, but for the most part he had managed to keep his low alcohol tolerance under wraps.

“You should drink some.” Viktor pushed the tumbler of scotch closer to him. “I had them pour us an eighteen-year-old single malt. It’s quite good.”

“No thank you. We’re still on the clock.” He politely declined, taking a sip out of his seltzer instead.

“Maybe some wine instead?” He was a little better at dealing with wine, but not by much.

“I’m good. Thank you though.”

There was a small hum as Viktor swirled his glass. Yuuri could feel those crystalline blue eyes staring holes into him. He felt like a lab animal under intense scrutiny. Had he done something or said something he wasn’t supposed to? Was this the time that Viktor fired him for knowing about his boss’s bedroom activities?

“Umm…” Yuuri started, still unsure what he was doing here. There was still more than half-an-hour before his normal shift ended and Viktor looked as though he wasn’t in a rush to go anywhere. It made him wonder how he was going to get home. He couldn’t ask Viktor for a ride now that the Russian was drinking, and the closest subway was a ten to fifteen minute walk away. “So…?”

Yuuri didn’t dare meet Viktor in the eyes. He still wasn’t used to the very American way people stared into one another eyes when speaking. It was unsettling being stared at so openly. It certainly felt like that when dealing with Viktor. Those blue eyes were dangerously mesmerizing. Vibrant. As though he was an open book and Viktor was the one reading said book.

“What are you looking at me like that for, Yuuri?” There was a sly expression on Viktor’s face. “You’ve been staring at me all day.”

“N-No… nothing!” The conversation with his sister did have him thinking about it. From the outside, Viktor certainly seemed to enjoy having sex, but Yuuri knew there were different sides to his boss. If anything, the older man was extremely good at hiding and keeping things a secret since no one at work seemed to know of his under the table proclivities. So it definitely _was_ possible he was being threatened. But, still, it wouldn’t explain why Viktor insisted he come along all the time.

“Hmmm… are you sure?” The saccharine words dripped like honey, creeping warm and sensuously over him.

“Yes!” Yuuri recoiled at the raised eyebrow Viktor had, realizing that ‘yes’ could have two distinctly different meanings. And he certainly had not meant one of them. “I mean no! I mean…” Taking a deep breath, he flattened his expression and stared solemnly at the Russian’s blue eyes. “That’s _not_ I was thinking about.”

“Hmm… if you say so.” Viktor singsonged.

“Why do you even do this?” The question came out in a flurry of emotion. As far as he could tell, there was no need for his boss to sleep around. They didn’t lack for clients – there were always projects to work on – and it wasn’t as though Viktor didn’t have the time to find someone after hours. With Viktor’s looks, it would be a simple matter of going to a bar and picking someone up. Not that Yuuri had any experience with any of it.

“Hmm? Are you jealous, kobuta-chan?”

“No.” There was no way he was jealous at seeing the myriad of people, women and men alike, that his boss dallied with. If anything, Yuuri was disappointed. He certainly was at fault for painting Viktor Nikiforov as a saint in his mind – who was it that said that to err was to be human? But the Russian acted as if he wasn’t doing anything wrong.

“Then…?”

“I was wondering… umm… a-are… are you being… bl – uhh, forced or something?” Asking his boss to reveal his motivations for sleeping around indiscriminately – Yuuri wasn’t clear on Viktor’s criteria for selecting bedmates and he wasn’t in a hurry to find out – was akin to committing social suicide by wading into a pit of radioactive vipers. Slow, painful, long lasting, and completely irreversible.

“Forced? Forced into what?” His boss’ expression was one of complete befuddlement, brows furrowing in confusion. “I’m not sure what you mean…”

“I mean are you umm… forced into sleeping with them?”

Viktor stared at him, as if studying whether he was serious or not, before bursting into laughter. “Hahahaha!!! F-forcing?! Hah…” the man gasped for breath, clutching his stomach. “That’s the first time I’ve heard that.” A few more chuckles escaped the Russian’s lips before the silver-blonde finally righted himself. “No, I’m certainly not being forced. Whatever gave that impression?”

“Well…”

Should he say his sister had implanted the thought in his mind…? But that would imply talking about his boss’s situation with someone else.

Yuuri did the first thing one could do in that situation: stall. But it was difficult to stall for time when his glass of seltzer empty and there was no one else present. So, unable to stomach the scrutiny, he grabbed the tumbler of scotch Viktor had offered him earlier, and downed it in one large mouthful.

God, it was awful. His insides were burning up, the fiery liquid searing as it slid down his throat. He didn’t know how anyone could stomach such a vile concoction, as he gasped for breath, pounding his chest in the universal sign for choking.

“Woah, slow down there, kobuta-chan.” There was a napkin immediately in front of him and he grabbed it, gratefully wiping off his mouth. “You don’t drink scotch like that. Take small sips instead.”

“I-I’m good.” He muttered, still trying to get used to aftereffects of the strong liquor. His stomach was twisted in knots and breathing was a difficult activity. Worse, the effect of the alcohol was nearly instantaneous. He had never had a particularly high alcohol tolerance, and this was much stronger than the sake or beer he used to drink in college.

“Are you okay, Yuuri?” For once, his boss’s voice was full of worry and concern. Not the artifice and practiced friendliness Yuuri was accustomed to. It the Viktor he had always imagined. A respectable and friendly who didn’t sleep around, was helpful and kept an eye for his subordinates. and And was inordinately pleasing to the eye.

“Yup.” Blinking, Yuuri felt his mind gradually sucked into the hazy vortex. All he could concentrate on was how Viktor looked in the bar, surrounded by an aura of silvery light, beautiful and untouchable. He had always found his boss attractive and knowing the sounds the man could make in the midst of sex… The manner in which Viktor rolled the ‘r’ in his name had made his toes curl.

Lacking the mental capacity to ruminate over the reason why he was reacting to his name being called, Yuuri flicked his tumbler back, only to realize it was empty.

“Another one.” Yuuri waved when the waiter came by. The buzz was pleasant. It made all the troubles fade from his mind.

Another glass was placed on their table within a minute.

“I never knew you liked scotch this much, kobuta-chan.”

Viktor’s pleasant chuckle had his mind reeling with delight. He had gotten praised with simple ‘good jobs’ or hums of approval. But nothing like this. The sound resonated inside him. Gears in his mind began to turn, slowly creaking as the gates of his unconscious opened.

“It’s not bad.” Yuuri mumbled, sipping his glass slower this time.

If he disregarded the immediate burn when it went down, it wasn’t as bad as Yuuri had imagined. His previous experiences with whiskies were a painful burning and nasty smoky flavor that made him want to douse his mouth in soapy water. He could detect hints of smoke lingering on his palate in this one, but there was something resembling a mix of nutty rich honey which was quite nice.

The previous heat had died down, turning into pleasant warmth pervaded his entire body. Burning away any reservations. Those who claimed it was liquid courage weren’t wrong. Yuuri felt on top of the world, uninhibited and unbound.

Yuuri’s normally lucid dark eyes were glassy as he surreptitiously glanced at his boss. Viktor’s pale complexion and silvery looks stood out in the low incandescent glow of the lounge.

 _Ah, Viktor was handsome._ He thought to himself, frowning at how non-picturesque he was in comparison. It was something he had always known, but always tried to forget. It was no wonder he never lacked a partner; Viktor was the epitome of male grace. Yuuri had seen and heard the man in various states of undress, but even when his hair was messy, the air around Viktor never changed. Anyone would recognize that he was a man amongst men.

Lost in his thoughts, Yuuri furrowed his brow at the sight of Viktor rising from his seat.

“Vik – _hic_ – tor?” He hiccupped.

“C’mon, let’s go. You’ve had enough, kobuta-chan.”

“Don’t call me that!” The sound came out as a half-hiccup, half-weepy retort. Yuuri hated that nickname. Because most in the company couldn’t understand a lick of Japanese, they all envied him for being singled out and treated preferentially. The name was nothing but slander. Who in the world wanted to be called a pig?

“Yuuri?” Viktor shot him a look of consternation on his face, but the only thing that registered was Viktor addressing him by his name. And with such concern. Nine times out of ten it was ‘kobuta-chan.’ While it wasn’t the worst nickname and was suggestive of something closer than the boss-subdorinate relationship they had, it had always bugged him that _he_ was the one who had been singled out by Viktor.

In the hazy delirium of his mind, the word lingered, echoing.

Why couldn’t Viktor be like this on a daily basis…? The rest of his thoughts were unfinished as rational thought faded, slipping behind the foggy cloud of alcohol.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. Two things I want to update y'all on:  
> The good news: I will finish this piece by the end of the year.  
> The maybe bad news: My original plot was derailed from the conversation between Viktor and Yuuri, so I have no idea where it'll go...

“Nnngg…Ow…” Yuuri groaned, rubbing his face sloppily with his hand. His head felt as though it was splitting in half. The constant pounding was like a jackhammer on concrete, smashing into him and keeping him awake. Opening his eyes, he reflexively squeezed his eyelids shut at the bright light seared his retinas.

After a minute, he forcefully opened his eyes by a crack, resisting the urge to close them. Squinting, all he could make out was an unfamiliar blur of colors above him. It was difficult to make sense of his surroundings without his glasses.

“Where am I? What time is it?”

Randomly patting down around the bed for his glasses, he jerked his hand back in surprise at the feel of warm flesh. “Wha–?!”

There was a light groan which escaped the person next to him.

Squinting at the pale peach-colored mass next to him, Yuuri had the sense it was someone familiar, but he couldn’t put a name to the faceless individual. Groping around in the opposite direction, his fingers finally found purchase around the thin wire rims.

Shoving them on his face without a care, Yuuri pushed himself up into an upright position. The room was spinning, his head was heavy, but he forced himself to ignore the lurching sensation as propped himself against the baseboard. Where in the world was he...?

Before he could answer the question, a groan next to him captured his attention.

“Vi-Vi-Viktor?!” Yuuri squawked when he realized he was sharing a bed with Viktor.

The sudden movement set off the roiling sensation in his gut. Forgetting everything else, he threw off the sheets, stumbling blindly for the bathroom. Grasping the granite countertop, acid flooded his mouth as he threw the contents of his stomach into the sink. There wasn’t much except for watery sourness as he heaved a few more times.

Turning the faucet on, he rinsed the foul taste out of his mouth and proceeded to splash water on his face, feeling a half-step more alert from the burst of cold against his skin. The nausea was gone, but his limbs were weak as he tried to make sense of what had happened. His mind wouldn’t cooperate though. Everything was hidden behind a wall of cotton, intangible and blurry. It felt like his mind had just gone through a blender. Not only was his head splitting, but each slight movement set off a wave of dizziness. But it was substantially better than when he first woke up.

A haggard visage stared back at him in the mirror. Hair poked up in every direction and his glasses did nothing to hide his appearance. His already pale skin was even paler in the light, contrasting starkly with the redness around his eyes. The weariness in his limbs was reflected by the exhaustion in his face.

Casting a longing glance at the shower, he internally warred with himself the merits of taking a shower or waiting until after he figured out what was going on. Eventually, the former won.

As he was about to strip himself, Yuuri realized that he wasn’t wearing any clothes. The only thing he was wearing were the glasses perched on his nose. And even that was something he put on after waking up. Quickly scanning himself over, he heaved a sigh of relief after determining he was fine. If he was female, the aches and pains might make him concerned about rape and pregnancy, but that wasn’t possible.

Grabbing the bathrobe hanging behind the door, he secured the fluffy white material around his waist. It wasn’t too thick, but it dispelled the cooler ambient temperature from the ceramic tiles. His intention to shower had long been pushed to the side as leaned forward to study the two reddish blemishes on his skin. One was on the side of his neck and the other was near his collarbone. Although he didn’t pay much attention to his body, Yuuri knew with absolute certainty the one on his neck wasn’t there last night. They were around the size of a quarter and not quite uniform in shape. His first thought was that they were mosquito bites. While mosquito season had just begun and they resembled bites from an insect, they didn’t really itch the same way a mosquito bite did. The one against his neck was a little tender when he pressed it, but nothing else stood out about the innocuous marks. If they didn’t fade in a few days, he would go to a doctor to check.

Softly padding out of the bathroom, he blinked a few times as his mind slowly put together his whereabouts. He was in a hotel. With a stranger. The complementary bathroom accessories had already given it away, but he should have figured it out from the style and décor. The setup of large windows with a large widescreen television opposite of the bed was typical for hotels.

The only things out of place were the pieces of clothing were tossed haphazardly around the room. And the person laying underneath the sheets.

Rubbing his pounding head, Yuuri dimly recalled being brought to and sitting in a darkened lounge with Viktor. Ordering and then imbibing in scotch. Stumbling into the hotel room with Viktor. Heated touches and ambiguous sounds. But the more he tried to recall, the blurrier his memories became.

Blood drained from his brain as he stood there, staring at the king-sized bed. What had he done this last night...? And why had he and Viktor been naked?

One conclusion teased his mind, but he vehemently denied the possibility that he had gotten tangled with Viktor in the bed. Even though all the evidence pointed in that direction, there was no way Viktor was interested in him. He was attracted to Viktor and respected him for his successes, but he was out of Viktor’s league.

The people he noticed around Viktor were always well-dressed, in-shape, and classy. He was everything but. Mari had told him several times to put more effort into his appearance. She had forcefully treated him as a dress-up doll to show him how to improve his appearance, however, Yuuri was uncomfortable wearing contacts and having his hair slicked back. He didn’t recognize himself without the thick-rimmed rectangular frames and messy hair. And that him did not stand a chance against the people Viktor wined and dined regularly. There was also a little flab developing around his stomach.

Not only was his appearance subpar, his English was heavily accented. It was significantly better than his first few college months, but Yuuri continued to struggle to differentiate the l and r sounds. There were also many cultural and social norms which he didn’t understand. The most notable difference was shaking hands as compared to bowing, but there were other ones such as public displays of affection or pop culture.

In contrast, Viktor took advantage of his international roots to mesmerize people. Instead of sounding like an awkward foreigner, his accent was charming. Slightly melodic almost. He didn’t seem out of place when greeting people, and skilled at drawing from his Russian heritage to weave engaging stories and anecdotes.

In short, Viktor was everything he wasn’t.

Their lives would never intersect so intimately under the typical scheme of things. A person like him would never enter Viktor’s line of sight. He was a nobody whereas Viktor was the golden boy of the advertising world. They were as far apart as the sun and moon, in the skies together for but a passing moment, before separating once more. He was the moon constantly chasing after the sun, wanting to shine as bright as the golden orb but paling in contrast.

The sound of movement from the bed made him freeze.

“Vik-Viktor…?” Yuuri asked, his voice cracking from nervousness. He didn’t want to wake Viktor up, but running out when he was awake was rude.

There was no reply.

Tiptoeing closer, Yuuri was momentarily stunned by Viktor’s sleeping face. The tousled silver locks made him appear younger and innocent. But Yuuri had been fooled enough to know how black-bellied Viktor was inside. There was no telling how deep the pit he dug for himself last night was. And he would much rather not find out. Or at least not while he was butt-naked with a pounding headache.

Taking advantage while Viktor was still asleep, Yuuri hurriedly gathered his clothes and snuck back into the bathroom to put them on. The sooner he left, the better. It was already mid-morning so the more he dawdled, the likelier it was for Viktor to wake up.

Sharing a bed with another man was one thing. But sharing a bed with another man while naked and waking up with hazy memories of having engaged in potentially intimate behavior was worse. Viktor wasn’t just a random, faceless person off the streets. Viktor was his boss and someone he saw and interacted with for the bulk of the week.

Doing one final sweep to make sure he hadn’t missed anything important, he crept towards the door, ready to make his escape. His briefcase was nowhere to be found – it was probably in Viktor’s car – but thankfully his phone and wallet were in his pockets. Casting a backwards glance on the bed, Yuuri hesitated for a bit. Should he wake Viktor up? If not, then should he leave a note? And what about the hotel fees? While this was definitely not the most expensive room he had been in, the room would cost a pretty penny.

In the end, Yuuri chose the cowardly route as he quietly slipped out the door, not realizing that the other occupant inside had long awoken with a shrewd light in his eyes.

 

“Good morning, Yuuri!”

“Good morning, Mila.” He nodded to the receptionist.

“How was your weekend?” She beamed as she called the elevator down.

“It was alright.” Yuuri smiled wanly, trying to pretend everything was fine. He wasn’t as outwardly expressive as most westerners and his coworkers recognized that, so his strained expression was considered normal. But it was impossible to feel at ease given what had happened two mornings ago when he woke up in a hotel room with Viktor.

He had spent the entire weekend agonizing over the entire affair. A few more memories had resurfaced, but they only added to the discomfort in his gut. Although he couldn’t remember what he said word for word, what he did remember about his behavior was sufficiently embarrassing.

The small exchange with Mila wrapped up quickly when the elevator dinged open. A stifling sensation filled Yuuri’s heart as the door closed, sealing him in a metal cage and delivering him to his executioner: Viktor.

He wished he could pretend it never happened. Perhaps book a flight back to Japan, soak in an onsen, and indulge in homemade tonkatsu as though everything was still okay. But work was work. And he didn’t want to lose such a valuable opportunity and burn bridges because of cowardice. Steeling his fragile nerves, he stepped out the elevator.

His mind barely registered anything as he navigated the rows of desk on autopilot. The black hole in his stomach expanded with every step he took. Hanging his coat behind his seat, he booted up his computer, randomly shuffling his papers to ease the nervousness skittering across his skin. Although Yuuri could access his work email from home and did so regularly, he had refused to check it this weekend. Thankfully, there was nothing out of the ordinary as he skimmed through the typical notices from HR and questions from clients.

His relief was short-lived though.

“Hey Yuuri. Viktor,” Yuuri froze at the mention of his boss, “wants to see you.”

“Ok, thanks Jean.” He absentmindedly nodded, pushing the papers on his desk to the side as he stood up. Was the summons for work? Or because of what happened Friday slash Saturday?

“Damn, looks like you had quite the wild weekend!” Jean-Jacques whistled wolfishly. “Your girlfriend is quite bold leaving such an obvious mark.”

“What are you talking about?” Was this yet another of those westerner jabs he wasn’t aware of? Yuuri hadn’t done anything exciting over the weekend and there was no girlfriend to speak of. All he had done was agonize over his situation and sleep.

“The hickey on your neck?”

It took him a moment to recognize what the finger Jean tapped his own neck was pointing at: the two mysterious blemishes on his skin. Once he saw they were fading, Yuuri had completely forgotten about them. He had only realized the folly of his actions now. A faint purple-red tint remained, completely unobscured and open for all to see. Who knew how many people had already seen it?

“Um… it’s not…” Yuuri began, unsure how to explain them when he himself didn’t know where they came from. There was a probable suspect. Deep inside, Yuuri knew that his suspicions were true, but voicing it out would mean accepting an unfathomable truth. And unless _someone_ confirmed those thoughts, he was going to deny what happened. “I don’t have a girlfriend.”

“A boyfriend then?”

“I do–” Yuuri shook his head in denial.

“Don’t worry, I won’t judge you for it.” There was a reassuring pat on the back. “Not everyone’s that friendly around here. It’ll be our little secret.” Jean-Jacques winked slyly before walking off.

Yuuri opened and closed his mouth silently, unsure how to fix the giant misunderstanding which had formed. It was bad enough he was parading around with a hickey on his neck, but if Viktor caught wind of it…

His limbs were uncooperative as he headed for Viktor’s office as though delivering himself on the executioner’s block. Instead of being welcoming, the open office door resembled the jaws of a monster. And he was delivering himself to that monster. The hollow pit in his stomach threatening to swallow him whole as he stepped across the threshold.

As usual, Viktor was seated in front of the computer, reading something on the screen and didn’t notice Yuuri’s entrance.

“Viktor? Jean said you needed me?” He asked timidly, lowering his hear when those icy blue pupils turned in his direction. Blood pounded in his ears as he waited for Viktor’s next words. Was it a death sentence or just work?  

“Da, you forgot your briefcase in my car, kobuta-chan.”

“Oh, sorry.” He jerked his head up just in time to catch the sly twinkle in Viktor’s eyes before lowering his gaze once more.

“It’s not a problem. Here you go.” A well-manicured hand came into view holding the briefcase.

“Thank you…” Yuuri reached out to grasp the handle, his hand inadvertently touching Viktor’s as he did. The brief contact made him shiver, retracting his arm but finding himself unable to do so since Viktor’s hand was still on the briefcase. “…Viktor?”

“Why are you refusing to look me in the eye, kobuta-chan? After all you were so bold Friday night.” Sweat coated his palms and Yuuri froze, frightened by Viktor’s words. “And here I thought you were a meek little piggy, but you’re actually a big bad волк.”

“… a what?” The occasional Russian words Viktor used in his speech made it difficult to interpret whether he was insulting or praising someone. Yuuri’s gut told him it was the former of the two. “What are you talking about?”

“Hmm? Are you saying you forgot all about how you took advantage of me? Or all the whispered promises we made?” Viktor’s voice dropped an octave, revealing more of his accent as he spoke. “Or how you snuck out Saturday morning, leaving me after everything we shared? Do you know how hurt I was waking up alone, Yuuri?” He finally let go of the briefcase, clutching his hands over his heart in feigned hurt. “You didn’t even leave a note…”

“…”

Yuuri had no idea how to respond. Viktor was fairly expressive on a normal day. He would tease and sometimes exchange physical contact in the form of a pat or hug with those around him. Yuuri had been the recipient of quite of few of those exchanges, but the tone was completely different. This time his flamboyant and dramatic antics made Yuuri’s heart ill at ease; Viktor’s words truly resembled those of someone truly wronged.

“And here, after everything, I truly thought we had something special…” Viktor trailed off ambiguously, his lip quirking up in self-mockery. “I guess I was the only one who felt that way…”

The sorrowful note struck a chord as he raised his head to glimpse at Viktor’s expression. He was thrown off by the absence of Viktor’s usual smile and unwavering confidence. Silence stretched between them, enlarging the gulf between him and Viktor.

Yuuri swallowed heavily, guilt choking him as he reached for words to comfort and correct Viktor’s assumptions. While he did not have a clear idea of what happened between them, it was certain that _something_ had transpired between them.

It could all be a clever ruse Viktor planned to tease and get back at him, but if it was genuine…

Yuuri’s heart raced at the possibility.


	4. Chapter 4

“Good morning, Yuuri.”

“G-good morning, sir!” He received a perfunctory nod as Viktor strolled off, smiling and greeting the rest of the floor.

Over the last three weeks, Viktor’s attitude had changed drastically. His previous behavior had been imbued with a light teasing, almost flirtatious, undercurrent which was completely gone now. Instead, Viktor treated him with the same courtesy as any other employee. Warm and friendly, but not personal.

When the rapport between them first cooled, Yuuri was worried he had done something wrong and Viktor’s attitude was foreshadowed being fired. But that didn’t seem to be the case either as they been applauded by a client for their latest campaign and he had been given a new large project to tackle. They would never foist such responsibility onto someone who they were planning to let go; the two of them were flying out next week to visit the client.

The rest of the office didn’t behave any differently. It was only Viktor whose behavior had changed.

The only catalyst for such a dramatic change had to have come from that one day he drank too much. To this day, he was unclear what happened, but his heart was heavy each time he thought back to the emotionally laden one-sided conversation in Viktor’s office. Unfortunately, a phone call had interrupted them, and Yuuri thought the subject had been laid to rest. He hadn’t expected Viktor suddenly turn so cold though.

The next two hours crawled by at a snail’s pace as he finalized the presentation he had to give. It was their quarterly creative growth sessions where all new hires would present and be given guidance on how to improve. He had been preparing for the last couple of weeks. Previously, Viktor would have checked up on him and asked if he needed any help. While such inquiries still existed, they were more professional and less frequent than before. Thankfully, when it came to advice, Viktor was still on the spot and gave helpful feedback when asked.

Yuuri’s palms were clammy when it was his turn to present, but he thought he did a decent job showcasing the work he had done. He couldn’t recall much from the presentation itself until the sound of polite clapping roused him from his fuzzy state of mind.

“Good job.” One of the other creative directors nodded. “You’ve improved quite a bit in the last three months. I enjoyed how you explained the choice of color used and the contrast the final design had.”

“Thank you, sir.” Normally such words would make him happy, but it didn’t do anything. Instead, he found himself attuned to Viktor’s expression.

“Well done, Yuuri.” Viktor nodded when it was his turn to comment.

“Thank you.” His heart fluttered at the few words Viktor spoke. There was a faint smile, but none of that dramatic praise he had given before. Words of encouragement and some advice went around the room, but he barely paid attention to it, still savoring the compliment Viktor made.

The next two presentations went by with nothing particularly noteworthy. It was interesting seeing how others showed off their projects, and the reactions garnered by the more senior members of the audience were fairly similar.

But Yuuri was jolted from his pleasant reverie when Yuri Plisetsky wrapped up.

“Yuri, fantastika! Good job.” Yuuri’s joy at being told he had made large improvement in the last three months immediately faded at hearing the disparity between him and the other Yuri. It was like a stab in the gut. Even though his presentation was long over, he had unconsciously taken Viktor’s enthusiastic praise for the other Yuri as praise for himself. But the balloon immediately popped when he realized it wasn’t.

When he was first brought onboard, he thought Viktor behaved like that towards everyone. In a sense that was true, but there was always a fine line between the smiles and closeness he fostered with Yuuri compared to rest of them. At least that was what Yuuri had realized after Viktor’s behavior had done a one-eighty. Clients aside, Viktor never addressed anyone else by a nickname or regaled them with tales of his precious Makkachin.

“Are you free tomorrow for lunch?” They both shared a dose of respect and idolism for Viktor, which made receiving Viktor’s attention and invites for lunch perversely happy. Particularly that one instance when Viktor had named a ‘ _Yuri_ ’ ambiguously and had to apologetically clarify his intent when Yuri stood up. But everything turned on its head since Yuri was the one receiving Viktor’s attention. It felt as though someone – Viktor – had stabbed him in the heart. “There are a few things I’d love to talk to you about, Yuri.”

“Sure, I’d love to grab lunch.” The delighted manner Yuri accepted Viktor’s invitation pained Yuuri even more. Thankfully, the lunch invitation was pushed to the back of his mind by the time the meeting ended. There were many things he needed to prepare for the upcoming business trip. And worrying about Yuri was something he couldn’t afford to waste time on.

Yuuri had completely forgotten about Viktor’s lunch engagement with Yuri until he bumped into the two of them on their way out. Engrossed in their conversation, the two of them headed straight for the elevator, acting as though he was air. Seeing it brought the pang from the day before back.

Yuuri wasn’t sure how he managed to get to the nearby Japanese shop that had just opened, but he did. Quickly ordering a katsudon as soon as he sat down, he tried to push the bitter taste out of his mouth. His meal arrived quickly, but even the smell of katsudon did nothing to lift his sour mood. Yuuri could taste the pork chop in his mouth – it was much better than American fast food – but even the salty, crisp flavor could not dispel the weight in his chest. All he could think about was how Viktor had gone to lunch with _Yuri_. In the past, Viktor had dragged him out to lunch regularly, but those invitations had vanished. Even this restaurant had been a place Viktor had first brought him.

Viktor was keeping at an arm’s length, and this was the consequence of his own actions.

He had been relieved when he was no longer singled out by Viktor, but now each time he saw Viktor greet someone warmly and treat them as he used to be treated left him bereft. And who knew how many people Viktor was close to outside of work? More than once Yuuri had caught his eyes lingering in Viktor’s direction, unconsciously searching for a hint of the man he previously knew, but finding none. The sparkles in his eyes were gone. The playful laughs replaced with indifference.

The adage about knowing how important someone was when they were gone couldn’t be truer. Viktor wasn’t really gone, but the Viktor he knew was no longer present.

 

“I’m sure the two of you are tired from your trip, so today will be cut a little short.”

“Thank you again for arranging everything, Christophe.” Yuuri stood there silently as Viktor made shoptalk with their host, thankful that Viktor was leading the project. They were on a three-day business trip to get a better grasp on the customer experience they were potentially advertising for a travel resort. Today was the first day of the trip. They had flown in midday and had spent the last couple of hours touring the premises. His mind was already in disarray from the traveling and being suddenly thrust into work only tired him out.

“Not at all. It was my pleasure. Michele and I will meet you tomorrow at ten in the lobby.”

“Fantastika.” Hearing that word made him recall Viktor’s praise of Yuri’s presentation from earlier. The word grating on his ears, reminding him of what he had lost. The polite smile froze on Yuuri’s face as closed his eyes for a short moment to center himself. Luckily, his sudden stillness wasn’t noticed as farewells were exchanged and their host finally left.

The awkward distance descended after the two of them returned to the room. Things had been bad enough after everything that had happened, but the chasm had only widened further after everything with Yuri. Yuri had dropped by to see Viktor a handful of times in the last couple of days and watching the growing relationship between Yuri and Viktor pained him more than Yuuri cared to admit.

“Yuuri, come, sit.”

Yuuri paused in the middle of hanging up his coat to make sure he had heard right. What did Viktor want to talk to him about?

Beads of sweat coated Yuuri’s palms as he sat down. It was clear from his stiff posture that he was out of his element. His back was a good half foot away from the back of the chair, and his hands were awkwardly perched on his thighs.

Viktor couldn’t be more different. He was like a Persian cat, indolent and relaxed, as though he owned the place. The top buttons of his shirt undone, revealing his pale collarbones as he swirled the glass of scotch he had just poured.

“Say, why have you been acting so weird lately?”

“What are you talking about?” He had been acting the same as always, hadn’t he?

“You were staring at Christophe earlier. And I’ve seen you a few times when I’m with Yuri as well.”

“I… I don’t think I was staring or anything. Maybe you were mistaken?” Yuuri hedged, unwilling to admit the bitterness in his heart whenever Viktor was having a good time with someone else. But that was all. He didn’t think he had acted strangely.

“Hm, really?” A hint of smile emerged on Viktor’s mouth, increasing his attractiveness tenfold. It drew people in, making them feel as though they were sharing some intimate secret. “You’re acting as though you’re jealous.”

“Jealous?”

Using that word to describe the pang in his chest hadn’t crossed Yuuri’s mind before. But now that it had, the pieces snapped into place. His heartfelt longing to be acknowledged and be treated specially. The pain when Viktor was charming and friendly with someone other than him. The way his eyes lingered or the times he caught his thoughts drifting towards Viktor.

He liked Viktor. Romantically.

“Don’t worry about it. It was just an example.” Viktor waved his hands dismissively. “So, care to explain why you’ve been behaving so strangely? Is there something about your personal life I should be concerned with?”

“Umm… I already told you, there’s nothing wrong.” The knowledge that he was jealous of Yuri, Christophe, and anyone Viktor was close to burned him now that Yuuri was aware of his feelings. And to realize it only after Viktor pointed out the possibility was even worse!

“Really?”

Feeling Viktor’s probing gaze, Yuuri averted his eyes, landing on the lowball glass in Viktor’s hand. His subconscious admired the elegance in which Viktor held the glass, but his main concern was the amber liquid inside. It was the root of all his problems. Although Yuuri was to blame for his previous overindulgence, which had somehow led to the current situation, he really needed some liquid courage.

Viktor caught his stare and placed the glass down in front of him. “Did you want some?”

Even though he knew it was a bad idea, a terrible idea, Yuuri was tempted to agree. Some of the fragmented memories of that one night in the returned to him as he faced Viktor’s inquisitive blue eyes darkened with emotion. But aside from the first bit in the lounge, the rest was a blurry haze of sensations and colors. Nothing substantial.

As tempting as it was to take a sip, drinking was what got him in trouble to begin with. And he didn’t want to commit the same mistake again.

“No, it’s okay.” He shook his head, pushing the glass towards Viktor again.

“Suit yourself.”

Yuuri couldn’t tear his eyes away from Viktor’s lazy motion of bringing the glass to his lips and taking a sip. The faint glisten on Viktor’s lips resembled that of someone who had just been kissed. A hand had combed through his hair added to the ambiguous air around Viktor. His natural charm was already lethal, but the half-lidded expression he sported only made it worse. Yuuri’s tongue slipped out to wet his parched lips, swallowing audibly at the sight.

“You’re staring again.”

Viktor’s amused chuckle jolted Yuuri out of his daydream. The thoughts he had of heated palms skimming muscled flesh and soft ambiguous groans were too vivid to be real.

“Sorry!” Yuuri didn’t know if his face was warm from embarrassment or those lurid thoughts, but he knew that he would lose his mind if he stayed any longer. “I-is that everything? I was hoping to get a shower and get some rest for tomorrow.”

“Yes.”

Despite the amicable response, Yuuri felt like a cell under a microscope as Viktor studied him with a half-smile and an unreadable expression. Did Viktor think he was acting out of sorts again? Even if he was, Yuuri didn’t know how he would be able to explain his behavior without admitting the truth.

“Um, let me know if you need anything else.”

“It’s fine. Go, take your shower.”

Nodding, Yuuri dashed out of the room as fast as he could without running. The hot water washed much of his weariness away, but it was only after dousing himself with cold water did his mind cool off. Toweling off, Yuuri headed out of the bathroom to the sound of Viktor speaking on the phone in hushed whispers. He had almost forgotten they were staying in the same hotel suite. There wasn’t even a locked door separating them.

Casting one last longing glance in Viktor’s direction – this time he was sure he wasn’t caught staring – Yuuri sighed. He had no idea how he was going to survive the next few days in close contact with Viktor.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for staying with me the whole way through. As some of you might have read, the plot for this derailed midway. While the ending did reach what was aimed for initially, the journey there was quite different from my initial goal. Regardless, hope you guys enjoy.
> 
> And Happy New Years (though it's still 2018 throughout the world as of the time of posting)!

Despite the worries and reservations he had about facing Viktor with his newfound feelings, Yuuri drifted off to dreamland soon after his head hit the pillow. But it wasn’t as restful as he would have liked. His dreams were haunted by embarrassing fantasies of confessing to Viktor and embarking on a romantic relationship. It was pleasant at first as they went on dates, enjoyed one another’s company, slept together, and even talked about moving in together. But that was when it turned to a nightmare. Viktor had texted him asking him to come over, and before he knew what was happening, Viktor broke up with him citing that he was too passive and weighed down by his fears.

The last thing Yuuri remembered before he woke was Viktor turning his back and walking away. Blinking at the orange light creeping in, it took a moment to let the fear and panic fade. The emotional rollercoaster was intense. From elation and joy to the pits of despair.

Pulling on his glasses, Yuuri was still operating on autopilot as he unlocked his phone, eyes widening when the big bold numbers stared back at him. The LED screen on his phone told him there was less than an hour before their scheduled meeting with Christophe. With everything that had happened yesterday, setting an alarm to wake him had completely slipped his mind. Forty minutes would normally be a lot of time to get ready, but he needed to get dressed, have breakfast, and reconvene with Viktor.

Yuuri froze in his actions. After waking from the dream and the strange conversation with Viktor last night, he had absolutely no idea how he was supposed to act now. How was he supposed to behave now that he had a name to put on that bittersweet longing?

But time was not a luxury he had as two sharp raps thudded on his door. “Are you awake yet? I’m going to head down to breakfast in a bit.”

“Got it! One minute.” He was here for work, not to figure out the perplexing feelings he had towards Viktor. The nightmare – if it could be considered one – could wait until he was by himself.

Hurriedly picking out his clothes, which he thankfully had the foresight to hang up yesterday, Yuuri quickly brushed his teeth and combed his hair. Shutting his eyes, he told himself to calm down, breathing deeply as he did, and pulled the door open.

“I’m ready.” He asked, injecting false cheeriness in his voice.

“Finally awake? You took your sweet time. Hmm…” Yuuri forced himself to stay steady as Viktor’s appraising gaze swept over him. The tingle of unease creeping up his spine drained away when Viktor’s lips quirked upwards. “You’re looking sharp today.”

Although he hadn’t slicked his hair back, he had brushed his unruly hair into something manageable. And it certainly wasn’t his first time going into work with such an appearance. The blazer was new-ish, but the black slacks and shoes for par for the course. “Thanks?”

“Mn. Shall we head down for breakfast?”

Nodding, Yuuri was still trying to make heads or tails of Viktor’s previous words by the time they reached the hotel restaurant.  Was it supposed to be a compliment or sarcasm? He had never excelled at reading Viktor, and the ambiguous smile had not helped. His gut reaction at those words was joy, but like his dream it turned into something else: dread.

Once more, time was not on his side as they grabbed breakfast from the buffet table and sat down. Viktor began the conversation with a few casual inquiries about how he slept – which were awkward given the contents of Yuuri’s dream – but quickly steered it in the direction of work. There wasn’t much that could be discussed in half an hour, but they managed to get through the essentials.

Although there wasn’t any jetlag to contend with, it was a similarly exhausting day touring the premises and getting a feel for what their team would be advertising. Maybe it was due to the dream or his conversation with Viktor, but Yuuri felt himself fading away as early as lunchtime. By mid-afternoon he was merely a decoration, mumbling a few words when asked, but not providing much in the way of useful commentary. By contrast, it Viktor was impressively on the ball the entire time. Like the day before, he maintained a serious professional interest and paid attention to even the smallest details, asking all sorts of insightful and necessary questions to really get a good grasp of what the business foundations were and what the target for advertising was.

Weariness wasn’t the only thing he battled with. Ugly jealousy reared its head throughout the day as intimacy grew between Viktor, Christophe, and Michele. The warm greetings which were exchanged when Christophe picked them up or the low chuckles when Viktor laughed at a joke. Viktor wasn’t behaving any differently than with their other clients – developing a friendly relationship with them was part of the job – but after the dream Yuuri experienced, it only left a bitter pang in his heart.

Yuuri was relieved that they were left to their own devices for dinner. Lunch was difficult enough to deal with, but dinner would have been a little too much. While the stress of keeping his jealousy in wraps drained away, it was too early to fully relax with Viktor sitting across the table from him.

Earlier, when he was deciding what to choose for dinner, he had been able to forestall any conversation with Viktor. But they were face to face without any obstructions in the way.

As usual, Viktor was in his element as he swirled the glass of red wine, letting out an appreciative hum after he took a sip. He didn’t dare order alcohol after the previous fiasco – taking a small gulp of his seltzer instead. When he put the glass down, he was caught in the thoughtful silver-blue eyes.

“You’ve been out of sorts today, Yuuri. Did you not sleep well?”

“Huh? No.” The sudden inquiry about his sleep caught him unawares.

“Hmm. But there _is_ something that’s been bothering you. You’ve been more skittish around me than usual today. Why’s that?”

“Umm…” Yuuri’s eyes darted around, refusing to meet Viktor’s. It was a perverse relief that the day had been so busy, as there hadn’t been many opportunities to engage one-on-one with Viktor. And yet, Viktor was still able to pick up on his unease.

“Was it the conversation from last night?” Yuuri shook his head, chewing on a slice of complimentary restaurant bread to occupy his hands and mouth. The conversation was only an eye opener. The dream was the main culprit. Residual joy from the relationship as well as despair when they broke up still lingered in him.

“Why don’t we change the question then?” There was a thoughtful musing in Viktor’s voice as he copied Yuuri’s movements, only more gracefully as he dipped his bread in olive oil and took a bite. “What do you think of me?”

“Well, I really respect you and your work.” Yuuri responded after sifting through his personal feelings. There was nothing wrong with what he said, nor did it give away his true thoughts. “You’ve been a great mentor, and I’ve learned a lot.”

“That’s not what I was asking.”

“But isn’t –” Yuuri looked up, confused. Wasn’t that what Viktor had asked?

“What do you think of _me_?” The last word was stressed. “Not as your boss, but as a person.”

He swallowed dryly, nervousness choking him. Blood rushed to his ears as he considered Viktor’s placement in his heart. The answer was obvious, but was it the right thing to say? Confessing could destroy the rapport which had developed between them. And it would undoubtedly make things awkward for this trip.

The waitress came by just in time with their meal, placing a plate in front of Yuuri and another in front of Viktor. “One seafood linguine with white wine sauce. And one lobster tortellini with fennel. Enjoy.”

Viktor didn’t stop him as he dug into his linguine. Forking a mouthful of pasta, Yuuri barely made out the light garlickly flavors and herbs as he chewed and swallowed. He knew he wasn’t off the hook yet from the weighty glances Viktor had on him. It was only a matter of time before he answered the question.

Yuuri knew there was no hiding his feelings. His sister always called him an open book. And even if he managed to do so successfully, nothing would change. Viktor would soon find someone else – there was no shortage of people interested – and he would be rejected. It was simpler to confess and be rejected, than refuse and hold on to a fruitless hope that Viktor might someday confess to him. At the very least, he would be able to heal and get over his hopeless love. It was like tearing a bandage off – the sooner the better.

“I… I like you.” The last words came out as a whisper.

“Hmm?” Viktor paused in his actions, holding up his fork of tortellini. “What did you say?”

“I said, I like you.” Gathering his courage, Yuuri stared down at his creamy noodles as he spilled the remaining words in his heart. “I-I know there’s no chance you’ll like me back, but…”

“Hold on.” He fell silent at Viktor’s words, butchering his pasta as he spun his fork aimlessly in the plate. “When did I ever say I didn’t like you? When have you ever heard me using a nickname on anyone else?”

“Never. But you have so many other…” Yuuri flushed, not knowing how to finish the sentence. Giving him a nickname was one thing, but he had more than enough evidence to know that Viktor was not celibate.

“I haven’t slept with anyone since that time with you.” Viktor must have read the disbelief in his expression as he smiled wryly. “You must have forgotten what I said to you back then… I was thinking of you all those times.”

“Wha–?”

“Maybe at first I wasn’t, but I quickly grew interested in you. It was difficult to forget how cute and flustered you would get. And I couldn’t help imagine the sounds you would make when we were finally together. I thought you were interested, but shy since you never responded to my overtures, so I thought if I made you jealous…” Viktor released a defeated sigh. “I was ecstatic when you got drunk that one night and revealed everything, but when I woke up and found you gone. And when you didn’t remember…”

“What are you saying…?” Yuuri couldn’t believe the words coming out of Viktor’s mouth. The explanation coming from him sounded too far-fetched to be real. He must have been hallucinating. Yuuri felt as if he was starring in one of those Korean dramas his sister watched.

“I’m saying I like you back.”

Yuuri’s mouth rounded into a perfect ‘o’ of surprise, not knowing what to say.  A friendly voice cut in before he could respond.

“How are you doing? Is everything okay?”

Yuuri didn’t know whether to be thankful for or curse the waitress for having such impeccable timing, always choosing to drop by at key moments.

“Everything is excellent, thank you.” Viktor took the helm and answered.

“Fantastic. If you need anything, please just let one of us know.”

“So umm…” Yuuri started, but fell silent after not knowing what to say. Despite how he had soaked up Viktor’s words like a sponge, a part of him remained unconvinced after Viktor’s passionate declaration. Viktor was an excellent salesman and the words he said could all be a ruse.  

“I know you don’t trust me, but can you give me a chance?” Viktor’s hand reached out, resting lightly on top of his own. There were no playful twinkles in Viktor’s eyes, only a soft uncertain smile.

The warmth of Viktor’s palm bled into his own hand, melting the reservations he had. Yuuri had always been weak to Viktor’s appearance, and for once he could see the insecurity behind those crystalline blue orbs. Viktor had always been out of reach for him, being someone who was far beyond his reach, but the heat transmitted through their joined hands told him that was all an illusion. He was as much flesh and blood as Yuuri was.

“Err… will it be a problem? Since we work together?” He hesitated to give his answer.

“We’ll work something out.”

“… okay.” Yuuri nodded, ears turning red as Viktor caressed his hand. It was only a chance. It wasn’t as though he was devoting his heart forever. If their relationship fizzled out like the dream he had, then so be it. But before then, Yuuri yearned to fly as bright as the sun and indulge in its warmth at least once.

He could barely taste the rest of his food, his mind in a pink haze at what was happening. It was difficult to eat with Viktor holding onto his hand, but somehow he managed. The clink of fine dining and candlelit tables added to the ambiguous air around them. The food and bill came and went without them ordering dessert. Viktor acted as though nothing was wrong and no one said anything about their interwoven fingers, but Yuuri could feel the unspoken comments all around them as they made their way back to their room.

After their hands separated, their lips found one another, mouths opening and tasting one another. Sucking lightly on the slippery appendage, Yuuri found the Viktor’s groan of frustration particularly sexy. Repeating the gesture, he skimmed his hands uncertainly over Viktor’s shoulders, reveling in his power over the other man.

Arousal pooled in his gut as they slowly made their way to the bedroom, his temperature rising as Viktor undressed him. The thin fingers working their magic as they unbuttoned his shirt, leaving him exposed. Yuuri’s eyes met Viktor’s and he shyly lowered his head at what was to come. But that only fueled Viktor’s desire further as he lowered his mouth to press kisses all over Yuuri’s chest, stopping briefly to tease his nipples before heading further southward. Yuuri’s hands weren’t idle either, busily exploring Viktor’s body and tracing the sculpted lines on his back.

The barrier between their bodies was soon removed and flung to the side in their excitement. A wave of timidity flooded him when Viktor’s heated gaze raked over him. But that was quickly replaced with gasps of pleasure when their bodies sought each other out. Ambiguous noises resounding through the room until late in the night.

When he woke up the next morning, Yuuri was momentarily stunned before realizing he was in bed with Viktor. It was only his second time waking up beside someone, and both times were with the same person. Despite being uncomfortably sticky from sweat and other bodily fluids they were too tired to clean off, a sense of warmth and fulfillment swirled in him as he admired the man next to him.

Before he could do anything, Viktor’s fine lashes fluttered open, and a wide smile appeared on his face. “Good morning, kobuta-chan.”

“G-good morning, Viktor.”

“You’re not going to run away this time, I hope.” A hint of wariness appeared in Viktor’s eyes at those words.  filling Yuuri with a sense of guilt over what had happened before. But he hadn’t drunk anything last night. The only alcohol he had was the remnants from Viktor’s mouth when they kissed.

Yuuri shook his head, cheeks suffusing with heat at the memory of last night. It was even more embarrassing than waking up without any idea of what happened. Running away was an option before, but it wasn’t possible anymore. He didn’t want to hurt Viktor, nor did he want to subject himself to such bittersweet torment again.

 

* * *

 

“Nghhhh…” Yuuri murmured, feeling the heavy weight against his chest as sloppy wetness covered his mouth. He pushed at the weight, from under the blankets, trying to get some more sleep, but it didn’t go away. “Viktor… stop it… “

“Yuuri?” The crystal-clear voice of his lover coming from somewhere else caught his attention, and Yuuri opened his eyes to see something fluffy and pale in front of him. Without his glasses it was difficult to see, the pink slip and goofy grin didn’t seem like Viktor’s. Which only left one culprit.

“Makkachin?” Yuuri blinked. The moment Makkachin knew he was awake, it leaned forward and began to slobber his face once more. “Blehhh…” Yuuri groaned, trying to push the dog away, but the poodle didn’t relent. He loved dogs and Makkachin was adorable, but he didn’t appreciate waking up being suffocated and to a face full of doggy slobber.

“Makkachin! прекрати это! Get off him.” Viktor barked, but it didn’t stop the silver-beige poodle’s assault on Yuuri. It wasn’t until Viktor dragged his dog away did Yuuri manage to sit up from the bed.

“Sorry about that.” Viktor sent another furious glare at the dog who was making pathetic whining noises on the other side of the door. “How are you feeling? Did you sleep well?”

“Yes.” Yuuri stretched, feeling rejuvenated after sleeping for so long. He had worked overtime the entire week, scrambling to get a presentation ready. Pulling on his glasses, he smiled at Viktor.

“It feels like forever since I’ve seen you.” Yuuri met Viktor’s lips when he leaned in for a kiss. He was a little reluctant with public displays of affection in the office, but he loved the intimate exchange when they were in private. It had taken some getting used to at first, but that had faded after being together for more than a year.

“Mn, you saw me last night though.”

“You know what I mean.” He had transferred to Celestino’s team after their project with Christophe ended. It severely reduced their interactions in the office, but the decision had been made after serious consideration. While dating colleagues was acceptable, it was a little strange to be dating one’s boss.

It was an open fact they were together now. At first, Yuuri had been fearful about coming clean with their coworkers, but they had accepted the relationship with some light teasing and congratulations. Apparently, Viktor’s interest in him had been a well-known secret amongst the office, and there were even some bets as to when they would get together.

“Have you thought about what I said?”

“About moving in?” Viktor hummed his agreement.

“Well… my current lease won’t end until the year is over and we’ll be busy for the next few months.” It was currently September, and things would soon get super busy with the upcoming holiday season. “But maybe in the new year? After things have settled down at work? We can look at apartments in the meantime.”

“That’s a long time.” Viktor huffed, before pressing his forehead against Yuuri’s. “But new years it is then.”

Moving in with Viktor was yet another sign that their relationship was evolving. Yuuri experienced bouts of occasional jealousy whenever he saw the close rapport Viktor shared with his clients, but those feelings had gradually eroded as the trust between them grew. His sister had teased him when he went home last year during golden week and revealed his relationship, jokingly accusing him of seducing his boss. Viktor would have added fuel the flame and sided with Mari.

But in Yuuri’s mind it was the other way around. Viktor was the one who had lured in him. And he had fallen blissfully for it.


End file.
